Stargazing in Central Park
by Lady Elena Dawson
Summary: As an escape from A, Spencer spends a Saturday with her Toby. The much-needed Spoby date night. Pure fluff. One-shot.


**A/N: Dedicated to my friend Romione4Life, or the Spoby fanatic. I'll always be Team Ezria, but that doesn't mean I can't jump ships once in a while! I vote for Spoby date night and an Ezria reunion, preferably soon.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Stargazing in Central Park**

**A Spoby Date Night One-shot**

Finally escaping the clutches of A, Spencer woke up late Saturday morning ready for the day ahead of her. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and for once she felt like that normal, dorky high school girl two years back. No A, no murder, no drama…just delightful, peaceful bliss.

And a nearly perfect boyfriend pulling up in her driveway in the junky truck she bought him as a gift.

As much as Spencer wanted to comfort an emotional Hanna, a scared Emily, and a confused Aria, the girls agreed that Spencer needed a time out from their messes and her own. So they let her roam free on a date night with Toby, her boyfriend of over a year, and push aside their drama for tomorrow.

Oh, joy. Tomorrow. When she would have to listen to Aria blab about thinking of Ezra when she was on a date with Jake, rub Hanna's back as she cried her eyes out (though she had reason to), and put up with Emily blabbing about Alison, Red Coat, college, her shoulder, et cetera.

But today—today was all for her and Toby. And for once in her Hastings life, she stopped worrying about tomorrow and decided she would enjoy today.

Biting her lip to stop the smile from permanently etching itself on her face, Spencer fumbled with the latch and opened her window. "Hey, stranger," she called out as Toby looked up after exiting his truck.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he said back, leaning against the hood. "You just get up?"

Spencer couldn't help but notice how charming he was. "Yup," she sighed while propping her elbows up on the windowsill and placing her head in her hands. "Why?"

"Don't you know what today is?" he mocked her with an added laugh at the end. "Or has the famous Hastings memory failed you?"

"Let me think." Playfully Spencer placed her index finger on her chin in a thinking position, then gasped in fake realization. "It's Saturday, isn't it?"

"Yes, _but_…," Toby trailed off.

"_But_…?" Spencer continued to play around with him.

"It's our date night!" he shouted, loud enough for the neighborhood to hear. Boy, was he excited.

"Oh yeah!" Spencer laughed. "I think I remember hearing something about that."

"Well?" Toby asked as his adrenaline raced. "Will you come down and meet me?"

"Of course!" Spencer exclaimed. "Just give me a minute to get dressed. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Sounds like a plan."

…

After a nice, quiet drive, the couple entered the Brew near noon, just in time for lunch.

"Get whatever you want," Toby told her, and she smirked as that serious look took over his face. "It's all on me."

Spencer shoved him teasingly on the chest before crossing her arms. "We've talked about this before, Toby. We split the price, like always?"

Staring into her eyes, Toby placed his hands on her elbows. "I know," he said as he leaned closer. "I just wanted to see if you remembered."

"Oh," Spencer whispered, closing the distance between them and embracing a long, sweet kiss.

After they pulled apart, foreheads touching, Toby shrugged his shoulders and added, "You know, especially after this morning."

Again Spencer hit him lightheartedly, scoffed, and strutted up to the counter to place her order.

"So," Toby began as they settled down at a table for two. "I'll ask you a random question and we go back and forth?"

Spencer loved it when Toby still wanted to learn more about her, even though they'd known each other for so long. It was like he was writing a novel about her or something. "Sure beats High and Low."

"Okay." Toby took a deep breath. "How did you meet the girls?"

"Haven't you asked me that already?"

"Maybe, maybe not. There's just so much about you. I don't mind hearing repeats. As long as I'm spending time with you."

Spencer snorted at his sweet flirtatiousness. "Okay, so it was junior high, right? Seventh grade just started and I was still hanging out with the same nerds and geeks I'd always been friends with. But me, being the ambitious Hastings I was and am, decided that I was going to make some new friends that year. So, I met Emily. I purposefully sat in front of her in history and I started talking to her about sports. I think I scared her a bit, but she loved talking about swimming. Then I met Hanna through a dorky friend of mine at lunch, and though she was quiet, she was really nice. And lastly there was Aria. For someone who had pink hair, she was hard to notice. Emily, Hanna, and I sat next to her one day and kind of disrupted her concentration when she was sketching. We were at awe over her drawings. I don't think she was used to anyone talking to her, but out of all the girls we're the closest. Maybe because we're polar opposites." Laughing, Spencer shook her head as she caught her breath. "I can't draw to save my life."

"That's right!" Toby chuckled. "And now that you mention it, if memory serves me right, I think I _have_ heard that story before," he added in faux thoughtfulness.

"I knew it!" Spencer shouted, giggling. Once she settled down, she gulped down more of her coffee and set the cup down. "All right, my turn."

"Hit it!"

Pursing her lips, Spencer narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. "How did you meet your current girlfriend?"

Toby detected the mischievousness in her tone and decided to play along. "Well, she was really annoying at first, showing up at my door and insisting she tutor me in French... I think she was obsessed with me." Spencer rolled her eyes, and Toby's smile only grew larger. "And what started off as a hunt for framing my stepsister turned into an amazing night of Scrabble, caffeine, and spying." He paused for effect. "But mostly Scrabble."

"I don't think you're finished with this story," Spencer pressed him on.

Toby shook his head and pushed aside his empty plate so he could place his arms on the table. "No, I'm not." Spencer mimicked him so that they were both slightly leaning over the table, heads closer to each other. "The next morning, we found out it was a dead end. But the way the sun hit her face, I finally let myself cave in to how beautiful she was, and I remembered the time we spent together up in the hills above Rosewood, and I kissed her."

"Like how?" Spencer wiggled her eyebrows.

"Like this." And Toby bent farther, and so did Spencer, until their lips met in a short, but sweet, peck.

"Your girlfriend has good taste," Spencer sighed as she sat fully back down in her chair.

"I know," Toby said. "I'm looking at her."

…

As much as Spencer begged and pleaded and attacked him, Toby still didn't tell her where they were going until they reached the train station and bought the tickets.

Jumping up and down in excitement, Spencer recited the destination on her ticket. "New York City?" she read.

"Yup," Toby said, and continued to keep his mouth shut.

They boarded the train and took their seats. Spencer pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and watched Toby quietly sit back and relax. Blinking, she nonchalantly scooted closer to him. "Where are we going there?" she asked coolly, but Toby knew exactly what she was doing.

"You'll see," he stressed.

But Spencer didn't give up. Whenever Toby thought she was finally settled, she brought it up again. And again. And again. Eventually he shut her up with a passionate kiss that left Spencer speechless. "There," he said, laughing while he put his arm around her. "Now stay like that."

Gulping, Spencer shook away the shock and cuddled into Toby's shoulder, giving up. Soon she found herself drifting off into a light slumber, Toby playing with the ends of her hair unconsciously.

That's when Spencer realized that she didn't care where she was going, as long as Toby was with her.

…

By the time they reached New York, it was late and both Spencer and Toby's stomachs were grumbling in protest. Teasingly Toby reached out and poked Spencer in the abdomen, making a joke about her rumbles, and Spencer slapped his playful finger away as she slid her arm around his waist and held him close while they walked to the nearest food joint.

After spending a relatively quiet meal together, occasionally talking about Spencer's friends ("How's Aria doing? Is Emily's shoulder getting better? How's Hanna holding up?") or Toby's work ("Has the manager paid you yet? That was a huge project!"), it was time for the surprise.

The two took a cab and Toby told the driver an address Spencer didn't recognize, for she didn't know New York that well. In awe over the bright buildings and busy nightlife, Spencer didn't notice that Toby was watching her.

A small smile cracked onto her face, and she blushed and looked away from his deep blue eyes. "What are you looking at?" she laughed nervously.

"You," he simply responded, and Spencer found herself lost in his eyes. However, the moment was broken by the reaching of their destination.

As Toby paid the taxi driver, Spencer studied her surroundings and distinguished it: Central Park. There were barely any people about, and the lights were dim. Toby caught up to her and entwined his hand in hers, leading her into the unfamiliar territory she'd only seen in pictures. "Where are we going?" she asked inquisitively.

They reached a grassy opening where Toby sat down on the ground. When Spencer didn't follow and just stood above him dumbly, Toby patted the spot next to him. "Sit down." Obediently, Spencer did.

Then Toby leaned back and let out a long, drawn-out sigh, grinning at Spencer. "Come on," he coaxed her, and she lied down uncertainly.

"Now look up."

What Spencer saw made Spencer gasp in wonder. The night sky, dotted with bright, gleaming stars in faraway galaxies. It was a whole world away from A, her family, and her messed-up life. And she was here experiencing it with Toby.

Looking at her affectionately, Toby reached out his hand and took hers. "Do you like it?" Spencer turned her head so that she could see him and brushed his cheek tenderly with her free hand. Tears of utter bliss blurred her vision, and when she blinked she felt his thumb brush the loose ones away. Could she be any luckier?

"It's so beautiful out here, Toby." She turned her attention back to the shimmering sky. "And I couldn't be happier."


End file.
